


Aviator

by DashingLuna



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Bisexual Leo Valdez, Book 4: The House of Hades (Heroes of Olympus), Coming Out, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, I hate how the Argo took one look at Nico and just decided they didn't like his vibe, I kind of ignored Piper in this (sorry not sorry), Leo and Nico should've fallen in love on the Argo, M/M, and I'm not touching TOA with a five foot poll, and i projected through Leo, it's gayer people, might be a little rushed at the end but i just wanted to skip BOO so much
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-23
Updated: 2020-10-23
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:34:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,763
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27160523
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DashingLuna/pseuds/DashingLuna
Summary: Leo Valdez see's Nico up on the foremast three nights in a row and decides to do something about it.
Relationships: Nico di Angelo/Leo Valdez
Comments: 19
Kudos: 215





	Aviator

It had been one week in, when Leo and Nico had talked alone for the first time.

Before that, the two hadn’t talked. Not as if Leo was avoiding him. No, Leo was either with the Athena statue, in his room trying to build something, or steering the ship to the best of his abilities with all of the monsters attacking.

Nico on the other hand, was always so… distant. It was like Hazel was the only one who could touch him. It was as if Hazel was the only one who could _talk_ to him, as the guy rarely even talked. In the small amount of time that Leo had known him, he’d only seen Nico speak like, five times, and those had all been on the first day.

So yeah. Leo knew next to _nothing_ about Nico from personal experience. All the information he’d gotten about him had been either from Hazel or Percy. And while Hazel had sung praises, Percy hadn’t.

Percy had given warnings, about the betrayals and the situations that had happened before Leo had come to camp, including the Titan war. So Leo felt like if he talked to Nico he’d have to tread lightly, as glass would be wrapping the ground.

That didn’t seem to stop him, apparently.

It had just been the two of them at the time when they’d first talked. Everyone else had been asleep (except for Coach, who was doing his routine check to see what the couples were up to).

And Leo was tired of the way Nico had been acting.

He was hiding! The two of them were the only ones of duty and Nico was still hiding in the crows nest. And Leo couldn’t take any more of it.

The two of them had been on night duty for a few days now. From around 1 to 6 they were the only ones on board, then they’d switch out with someone else and take their turns napping. For those few days Nico had not said a word to Leo. Not once!

The problem was, Leo didn’t know how to approach him. Again, the glass lay at the ready for Leo to shatter, and he was riding a bulldozer at this point.

He looked down at the complicated controls for a fews seconds before coming to a decision. 

Leo turned on autopilot (which was basically promoting Festus to captain temporarily) and began to climb the mast.

Leo didn’t really have a plan. And he had no idea what was motivating him. But for some unknown reason, Leo felt determined to talk to the emo kid, at least once, before writing him off.

“Hi!” Leo said with a smile on his face as he popped up onto the crows nest. Nico stumbled back a bit from surprise at Leo’s sudden appearance.

Nico looked healthier since the last time he’d seen him. His cheeks were less sunken and he looked like he had more fat on his bones. His hair was less greasy and he looked as though he was a little more peaceful, even with that murderous expression aimed in Leo’s direction.

It was good considering the guy's previous condition.

Leo began to sit on the crows nest. When Nico looked panicked Leo misinterpreted it. “I’ve got autopilot on, don’t worry,”

Nico stared for a few seconds while Leo got himself comfortable. “Why are you up here?”

“Hm?”

“ _Why are you here_?” Nico asked again but clearer.

“Um…” Leo really didn’t know how to respond to that. “You looked lonely…?”

Nico stared blankly at him. “I’m fine,”

“Wow, I feel so appreciated,”

Nico glared before turning away to look out at the land below, vast plains of Italy filled the horizon, even if it was dark Leo could still say the sight was amazing.

“Shouldn’t you go back down to… the dragon?” Nico said with some bite. He wasn’t looking at Leo, but still he put a hand to his chest in shock and for dramatic affect.

“First, his name is Festus,” And Leo could swear Nico rolled his eyes. “And second, he’ll be _fine,_ ”

They stayed in uncomfortable silence.

“So Hazel told me you could raise the dead?” Leo asked. Silence made him uncomfortable when his hands weren’t working. “Which is a little creepy but also pretty cool. Is it like a process or do you just stick your sword into the ground? Can you see the dead, because then wow I really wish you were there when the Eldions arrived-,”

“Eldions?” Nico looked at Leo with alarm. “There were Eldions?”

“Don’t worry, they’re long gone, danced themselves to death,” Leo found it funnier when he gave vague, obscure facts about a quest and watched as people tried to piece together what happened.

Nico stared at Leo as if he was insane, which was something he got a lot.

Then Nico shivered.

“Hey, you okay-?”

“I’m fine,” Nico barked back. Before taking in a deep breath as if to remember that he couldn’t murder crewmates. “Just… child of Hades thing,”

“What? Being cold all the time?” Leo asked with a laugh. Only to receive silence as his answer. Which made him grow genuinely concerned. “Do you know why? Hazel isn’t-,”

“Hazel controls gems and metals, I control the dead,” Nico grit his teeth. “So I’m cold like a dead body-can you leave, I want to be alone,”

“Sheesh, fine. Tough crowd,” Leo said as he descended. Going back to Festus, the only one who _truly_ appreciated his talent on the ship.

0-0-0

The next night was the same story.

Leo narrowed his eyes at Nico, who was up in the foremast, _again_. 

“You know, you wouldn’t be so cold if you came down,” Leo said, he was sitting in the same spot as last time. They hadn’t actually _talked_ since last time, as their schedules didn’t really cross.

Nico ignored him.

Leo huffed. Why couldn’t he even get the guys attention?

“C’mon man, we need to form a bond or something,” Leo smiled a bit. “With all the cute couples around I need someone who I can actually talk to,”

“Gleeson’s always free,”

Leo made a noise in the back of his throat. “Okay, ew. He looks like he’s fifty, you can’t call someone who’s fifty by their first name,”

“I’m 84,” Nico looked back at him, narrowing his eyes for just a second. “Are you going to start calling me di Angelo now?”

“I’m sorry, you’re _what_?!”

Nico glared. “Forget it,”

“No, no. You can’t just say that and ask me to drop it!” Leo protested. “Are you secretly a zombie? Are all children of Hades immortal, man? I need answers!”

“It was a hotel,” Nico whispered. Leo stopped and waited. “Just… if you ever go to Las Vegas, avoid the Lotus Hotel, it’s a trap,”

That didn’t give much of an answer but Leo nodded anyway. As if he understood.

0-0-0

“Why _are_ you always up the foremast?” Leo asked Nico with some food in his mouth. They weren’t the only ones in the mess hall, but all the couples were so grossly invested in each other that they wouldn’t notice Leo unless he started screaming.

“Why are _you_ always coming up with me?” Nico glared back, but it wasn’t as scary as it first was. Kind of mellowed out and like he wasn’t even trying anymore.

“Because!” Leo swallowed. “I thought I could at least _try_ talking to you before writing you off as creepy,”

“...What?”

“I’ve watched too many TV shows saying ‘ _Don’t judge a book by it’s cover,_ ’ not to learn anything,” Leo said with his signature smile. “My offers still open by the way,”

“What offer?”

“You know,” Leo raised an eyebrow but Nico just looked more confused. “You can always join me back with Festus, maybe you’ll stop shivering if you do,”

0-0-0

The third night was different. As instead of finding Nico up on the foremast he found him sitting by the very complicated controls waiting for Leo.

Leo beamed. Part of him didn’t know why he was so happy to see Nico, but he quickly dismissed it as being happy that he was making progress on being Nico’s friend.

He didn’t feel so much like a 7th wheel when Nico was in the same room.

Festus seemed to like Nico, even though he couldn’t understand the poor dragon. Nico wasn’t really doing much, just trying to absorb the heat Festus was giving off and failing miserably with all the shivering.

“Wow, you’re _still_ cold, Festus is like a volcano,” Leo remarked. Nico must’ve known he was there as he didn’t shock or startle. What he did do was glance up before sighing. “How do you get to sleep?”

“I don’t,”

That’s when Leo realised multiple things at the same time. 

  1. Nico didn’t have a room of his own, sure they’d offered Percy’s room but he’d _adamantly_ denied that. Leo had always assumed that he’d slept with Hazel.
  2. Nico had been through TARTARUS, and Leo knows for a fact traumatic experiences have nightmares.
  3. Nico’s eye bags were a lot bigger than expected.



“You… don’t?” Leo asked. 

Nico just shrugged.

Now, Leo himself wasn’t innocent of bad sleeping habits (the amount of times he has passed out because of being too invested in a project started before he even knew he was a half-blood) but looking at Nico, he could see the guy was practically running on adrenaline and the souls of the damned.

Leo’s job was a mechanic. It was his _job_ to fix things.

“Excuse me,” Leo said while backing away. “I’ll be right back,”

He didn’t look around to see what expression Nico was making, Leo was already off. Darting back down to the cabins.

Annabeth's room was empty and gaining dust now. Which left a bitter taste in his mouth as the guilt of the cookie slammed into him. Leo ignored it to focus on the stuff he could fix. He stole Annabeth's blanket as quickly as possible.

Percys was just an _onslaught_ of blue. To the point it began to hurt his eyes (it was 1:21, everything bright hurt his eyes), but Leo just ignored that and stole the blanket too.

When Leo came back Nico looked far more depressed than he left him. Leo narrowed his eyes but continued forward. “I’m back,”

Nico’s head shot up in surprise. Before he stared at the blankets. “What…?”

Dumping the blankets on the floor and sitting next to Nico, Leo began to make a cuddle pile. It was bare (only two blankets) but Leo figured it would be enough. “You need to sleep,”

Nico seemed to realise what Leo was trying to do. “No, no-,”

“Man, I haven’t seen you take a break _once_ in the past week, you need to sleep” Leo said seriously. Throwing a blanket on Nico, who struggled a bit before his head popped up from the mess.

 _Cute_ Leo thought idly as he continued to wrap Nico up. Nico tried to struggle but failed to do so. He was so _lethargic_ that he obviously needed at least an hour of rest.

“I was sleeping the entire week before-,”

“That is not how sleeping works,” Leo said simply as he finished wrapping Nico in the blankets. Looking proudly at the work he’d done before turning back to the wheel.

“You absolute _jackass_ ,”

“Yeah, yeah, love you too,” Leo said jokingly but he could practically _feel_ the mood drop. Nico wasn’t speaking, only glaring at the ground and refusing to talk. Leo didn’t try to talk, all he could hope was that Nico wasn’t homophobic. Even if it did make sense.

The uncomfortable mood dropped about an hour later. When Leo turned around not to find glaring, but instead Nico softly sleeping.

He wasn’t as wrapped up as before, as the struggling had helped a bit, but he was still wrapped in two layers of blankets, had Festus practically down his neck, and was _still_ shaking. Even in his sleep.

Leo’s only solution was to add another blanket (his own), which did nothing.

Still, he couldn’t help his pride when Hazel came with Frank to swap shifts and began to thank Leo upon seeing the sleeping form of Nico.

“Where should I put him?” Frank asked the two as he scooped up Nico. That boy was _knocked out_.

“In my room,” Hazel and Leo said at the same time. Both looked at eachother, before Leo explained.

“He should have someone with him when he wakes up,” Leo explained. “If he wakes up alone he _might_ get reminded of the jar,”

Hazel winced, before reluctantly nodding.

0-0-0

Leo had been halfway through a project when Nico had woken up.

“What the fuck,” A small whisper carried through the room. Snapping Leo’s attention off of what he was doing.

“Oh! You’re up!” Leo put down his tools and looked at the confused Nico, who’s eyes were now on Leo. “You sleep like the dead y’know,”

“I’m a child of Hades, and why am I in so many blankets?” Nico asked. Leo laughed a bit as Nico struggled. “Don’t laugh!”

“I’m sorry!” Leo continued to anyway. “I’m sorry it’s just you look like a burrito!”

“Shut up!”

“But you do!”

And that was really the start of their friendship.

0-0-0

Hazel was off with Arion, going gods knows where, and that left the group that had started it all. Nico and Leo.

Nico looked like he was internally panicking.

“Hey, she’ll be fine,” Leo tried to reassure him, but he didn’t think it was working. So instead Leo did another tactic. “You know, when we get back to camp, I need to go on a pop culture movie marathon with you. I mean, we’ll probably have to watch it in bunker nine but-,”

“I’m not going,”

“What?”

“I’m not going… back to camp. I don’t belong,” Nico said gloomly. Leo didn’t believe what he’d said for one second.

“Just get the Stolls to involve you in one of their pranks,” Leo waved off.

“It’s not that simple,”

“It really is-,”

“No it…” Nico took out a breath. He looked annoyed but resigned. “No it’s not, you wanna know how I know? Because I brought the entire underworld to help in the battle of Manhattan, but of course, about a week later, everyones looking at me as if wondering why I was still there,”

Leo stayed silent for a few seconds. “Okay… you still have to watch Aladdin. Maybe Hercules too, it’s fun to laugh at the disneyfied versions of the gods,”

Nico had a small, so small Leo almost missed it, smile on his face after that.

Leo wondered why he didn’t do it more.

0-0-0

Leo and Nico had been down by the statue. Trying to figure out how it worked.

Leo had been trying to do it alone for most of the time, until he admitted defeat and called upon the only demigod here with the slightest knowledge of magic, Nico di Angelo.

Not like he was unhappy working with Nico, honestly the guys company was more calming than anything. Which was good when Leo looked like he ran on seven shots of caffeine all the time.

“Maybe Athena’s eyes shoot lasers,?” Leo suggested. Nico snorted but nothing else, a small smile graced his lips that Leo added to his tally mark.

“Or the snake behind the shield can spit poison?” Nico suggested and Leo smiled widely. Because he was trying to join in.

“Or maybe the smaller figure of Nike can come to life and bust out some ninja moves?” Leo said. Making Nico chuckle lightly.

Leo stared and Nico with a fond smile, wondering how he could ever have thought of the guy as creepy and mean when he was one of the sweetest guys Leo knew. He was a little old fashioned, but that didn’t make him any less loveable.

His eyes crinkled with a wide smile when he stopped laughing. Probably the biggest Leo had ever seen, and he’d known the guy for two weeks.

The ship careened to one side, taking evasive manoeuvres. Leo resisted the urge to run to the helm. Jason, Piper and Frank were on duty with Hazel now.

“You need to sleep,” Nico said gently. “We’ve been trying for hours,”

Leo wanted to argue but he knew Nico was right. “Are you going to sleep?”

Nico paused. “I… can’t sleep alone, and Hazels on duty,”

Leo paused for a quick second. “You can sleep with me!”

Nico paused and looked at Leo like he was crazy. “We’re two boys…”

“So?”

“It’s… inappropriate,”

“Nobody in their right minds cares about that kind of stuff-wait are homophoibc? Because I regret to inform you I’m bisexual,” Leo placed a hand on his chest, _sincerely_ hoping that Nico wasn’t against his identity.

Nico looked at him in shock and disbelief. “ _You can’t just say that?!_ ”

“You’re homophobic-?”

“NO!” Nico shouted. “No, I’m just. I’m from the 1940’s so I’m just…”

“Not used to it?” Leo guessed. Nico hesitantly nodded. “That’s cool, honestly, guess I’ll just have to help you be more comfortable because one day I might be dating some hot guy and you’ll have to be used to it,”

Nico looked nervous but a tiny bit hopeful.

0-0-0

Leo woke up from his nightmare to see Nico shaking him awake.

“Hey, are you okay? You were shaking and-,”

“I’m fine,” Leo muttered. Nico hesitantly nodded, but could tell Leo was lying. “Just… demigod dreams,”

“Those are the worst,”

“I know right?!” Leo exclaimed, throwing his hands into the air as he rambled away. Nico having a soft smile on his face as he watched Leo talk and talk about meaningless things.

“I need to go,” Nico suddenly said, interrupting Leo’s story of how the Stoll brothers had accidentally put the mines on the _wrong hill_.

“Why? What’s wrong?”

“It’s the dead, I talked to them while you were asleep,” Leo pretended that wasn’t creepy to hear _at all_. “And I just remembered it, it’s big news,”

“Wait… you talked to the dead instead of sleeping!”

Nico averted eye contact as Leo huffed in betrayal.

Leo crossed his arms. “Can I at least finish the story after the meeting?”

Nico nodded.

0-0-0

Nico di Angelo. 

He sat back in his leather aviator jacket, his black T-shirt and jeans, that wicked silver skull ring on his finger and the Stygian sword at his side. His tufts of black hair stuck up in curls like baby bat wings. His eyes were sad and kind of empty, as if he’d stared into the depths of Tartarus – which he had.

But they also had a small light to them, a fire that had been kindling over the past few days, but only seemed to show itself when with Leo or Hazel. Leo felt flattered that he’d even gotten that privilege.

They were inside the mess hall. Ready to talk about the news Nico had received last night instead of sleeping (the bastard).

Nico sat forward. “I communed with the dead last night.”

He just tossed that line out there, like he was saying he got a text from a buddy. Leo hoped he could teach the guy proper social cues or teach himself how to deal with Nico’s social cues.

“I was able to learn more about what we’ll face,” Nico continued. “In ancient times, the House of Hades was a major site for Greek pilgrims. They would come to speak with the dead and honour their ancestors.”

Leo frowned. “Sounds like Día de los Muertos. My Aunt Rosa took that stuff seriously.”

Nico frowned as well. He hadn’t been told much about Aunt Rosa, but he did know that the woman was a bitch.

Frank grunted. “Chinese have that, too – ancestor worship, sweeping the graves in the springtime.” He glanced at Leo. “Your Aunt Rosa would’ve got along with my grandmother.”

Leo had a terrifying image of his Aunt Rosa and some old Chinese woman in wrestlers’ outfits, whaling on each other with spiked clubs. 

“Yeah,” Leo said. “I’m sure they would’ve been best buds.”

Nico cleared his throat. Even if he sometimes liked Leo’s commentary, this wasn’t the time. “A lot of cultures have seasonal traditions to honour the dead, but the House of Hades was open year round. Pilgrims could actually speak to the ghosts. In Greek, the place was called the Necromanteion, the Oracle of Death. You’d work your way through different levels of tunnels, leaving offerings and drinking special potions –”

“Yum,” Leo whispered. While Jason gave his own little glare Nico smirked for only a few seconds.

“Yeah, yum,” Nico said, before his smirk disappeared. “The pilgrims believed that each level of the temple brought you closer to the Underworld, until the dead would appear before you. If they were pleased with your offerings, they would answer your questions, maybe even tell you the future.”

Frank tapped his mug of hot chocolate. “And if the spirits weren’t pleased?”

“Some pilgrims found nothing,” Nico said. “Some went insane or died after leaving the temple. Others lost their way in the tunnels and were never seen again.”

“The point is,” Jason said quickly, “Nico found some information that might help us.”

“Yeah.” Nico didn’t sound very enthusiastic. “The ghost I spoke to last night … he was a former priest of Hecate. He confirmed what the goddess told Hazel yesterday at the crossroads. In the first war with the giants, Hecate fought for the gods. She slew one of the giants – one who’d been designed as the anti-Hecate. A guy named Clytius.”

“Dark dude,” Leo guessed. “Wrapped in shadows.” 

Hazel turned towards him, her gold eyes narrowing. “Leo, how did you know that?” 

“Kind of had a dream.”

His friends paid close attention as Leo explained Nico especially, after all if Nico had been a few seconds late to wake him up, Leo could have possibly died.

Jason pushed away his plate of pancakes. “So the giant is Clytius. I suppose he’ll be waiting for us, guarding the Doors of Death.”

Frank rolled up one of the pancakes and started munching – not a guy to let impending death stand in the way of a hearty breakfast. “And the woman in Leo’s dream?”

“She’s my problem.” Hazel passed a diamond between her fingers in a sleight of hand. “Hecate mentioned a formidable enemy in the House of Hades – a witch who couldn’t be defeated except by me, using magic.” 

“Do you know magic?” Leo asked. 

“Not yet.” 

“Ah.”

“Any idea who she is?”

Hazel shook her head. “Only that …” She glanced at Nico, and some sort of silent argument happened between them. Leo got the feeling that the two of them had had private conversations about the House of Hades and they weren’t sharing all the details. “Only that she won’t be easy to defeat.”

“But there is some good news,” Nico said. His eyes turned to Leo and brightened in that familiar way that made Leo feel proud he’d achieved it. “The ghost I talked to explained how Hecate defeated Clytius in the first war. She used her torches to set his hair on fire. He burned to death. In other words, fire is his weakness.”

Everybody looked at Leo. “Oh,” he said. “Okay.”

Jason nodded encouragingly, like this was great news. Nico, on the other hand, noticed Leo’s hesitance and asked the silent question of why? Leo gestured they’d talk later.

Jason was a good friend but he was too perfect. He didn’t understand what it was like to be an outsider and to feel unwanted but Nico did. It gave them more common ground than the fake memories Leo and Jason’s friendship had been built from.

Leo was pretty sure it would take more than a few matches to set that giant ablaze.

“It’s a good lead,” Jason insisted. “At least we know how to kill the giant. And this sorceress … well, if Hecate believes Hazel can defeat her, then so do I.”

Hazel dropped her eyes. “Now we just have to reach the House of Hades, battle our way through Gaia’s forces –” 

“Plus a bunch of ghosts,” Nico added grimly. But he was looking at Leo’s hands weirdly as if trying to decipher something. “The spirits in that temple may not be friendly.” 

“– and find the Doors of Death,” Hazel continued. "Assuming we can somehow arrive at the same time as Percy and Annabeth and rescue them.”

Frank swallowed a bite of pancake. “We can do it. We have to.”

“So, with this detour,” Leo said, “I’m estimating four or five days to arrive at Epirus, assuming no delays for, you know, monster attacks and stuff.”

Jason smiled sourly. “Yeah. Those never happen.”

Leo looked at Hazel. “Hecate told you that Gaia was planning her big Wake Up party on August first, right? The Feast of Whatever?”

“Spes,” Hazel said. “The goddess of hope.”

Jason turned his fork. “Theoretically, that leaves us enough time. It’s only July fifth. We should be able to close the Doors of Death, then find the giants’ HQ and stop them from waking Gaia before August first.” 

“Theoretically,” Hazel agreed. “But I’d still like to know how we make our way through the House of Hades without going insane or dying.”

Nobody volunteered any ideas. Frank set down his pancake roll like it suddenly didn’t taste so good. “It’s July fifth. Oh, jeez, I hadn’t even thought of that …”

“Hey, man, it’s cool,” Leo said. “You’re Canadian, right? I didn’t expect you to get me an Independence Day present or anything … unless you wanted to.”

“It’s not that. My grandmother … she always told me that seven was an unlucky number. It was a ghost number. She didn’t like it when I told her there would be seven demigods on our quest. And July is the seventh month.”

“Yeah, but …” Leo tapped his fingers nervously on the table. He realized he was doing the Morse code for I love you, the way he used to do with his mom, which would have been pretty embarrassing if his friends understood Morse code.

Which by the way Nico was looking at him, he understood morse code.

Leo blushed just a tiny bit and continued talking. “But that’s just coincidence, right?”

0-0-0

That night again, after all the stuff with the dwarfs, Leo and Nico got to talking about the story again.

Nico looked embarrassed, but it wasn’t like Leo blamed him for tapping out, all demigods had embarrassing moments.

But a lot seemed to be on Nico’s mind too, especially on the fact that Leo was bisexual. He didn’t mention it, but the way he kept glancing at Leo made him get the hint.

“So, why were you so apprehensive about the fire thing?” Nico asked. Leaning against the railing, eating an apple (which was another win in Leo’s book).

“Ah, well,” Leo rubbed the back of his neck. “I don’t think my fires going to be enough,”

“Because of the consume all thing?”

Leo nodded.

“I’ve got faith in you,” Nico gave a small smile Leo’s way. Which for some reason made his heart flutter.

He ignored the nerves and the misguided faith. Instead focusing on the little toy he was fiddling with in his hands.

“What’s that?” Nico asked, pointing to his hands.

“Something I make in my spare time,” Leo smiled. “My hands have to be working all the time so I make side projects of little toys,”

“...Can I have it?” Nico asked shyly.

“Sure,”

0-0-0

The Argo II was docked at a busy wharf. On one side stretched a shipping channel about half a kilometre wide. On the other spread the city of Venice – red-tiled roofs, metal church domes, steepled towers and sun-bleached buildings in all the colours of Valentine candy hearts – red, white, ochre, pink and orange.

Nico had told Leo about Venice, and how he’d grown up there. He didn’t like talking about his past much, especially since the two biggest people in it were dead, but sometimes Nico would give small little hints.

Stuff that Leo treasured because he knew not a lot of people got it.

Any time Nico talked people would usually flinch back having forgotten he was there. And sure, sometimes Nico would catch Leo by surprise but it wasn’t like they had to freak out so much every time the kid came into the room.

“La Casa Nera,” Frank read. “Calle Frezzeria.”

“The Black House,” Nico translated. Fiddling with the toy Leo had gifted him. “Calle Frezzeria is the street.”

Frank looked like he was trying not to flinch when he realized Nico was at his shoulder. The big guy knew Nico before the jar incident and yet he still didn’t like Nico. Which in Leo’s opinion was pretty outrageous.

Did no one but him and Hazel take the time to know the guy?!

“You speak Italian?” Frank asked (which he’d know if he spoke to Nico at least once more than politeness).

Nico shot him a warning look, like: _Watch the questions_. He spoke calmly, though. “Frank is right. We have to find that address. The only way to do it is to walk the city. Venice is a maze. We’ll have to risk the crowds and those … whatever they are.”

Leo wasn’t able to join Nico on the quest, even if he would like to continue talking with the dude. Instead Frank had offered, and he seemed reluctant to do so. Which, like he didn’t hate the guy but seriously why did everybody hate Nico?!

Seriously?!

0-0-0

“Don’t. Laugh,”

Leo snorted and tried to cover it up with a cough. “Not laughing, no laughter coming from this guy,”

Nico glared as he plucked another leaf out of his hair.

Leo kept on desperately trying to hold it back.

Nico sighed.

Leo took that as his que to finally let go and burst. His entire demeanour changed as he let go and fully laughed. Which he really hadn’t done since Percy and Annabeth fell into Tartarus, a corn plant though? _A corn plant_ ?! Nico got turned to _corn_?!

He wiped the tears in his eyes from laughing so hard. “Fuck, I needed that,”

What Leo didn’t notice was the way Nico looked at him, not in malice but instead with widened eyes and blushed cheeks.

0-0-0

Leo and Nico were a pair. Not a couple pair it was just….

Really, the two of them mostly hung out with each other. They talked, tried to figure out the statue, had a strong protection of Hazel (she was practically sunshine, okay!) so they both just hung together more.

Maybe it was the fact that, other than Hazel, no one else was even making an _effort_ to be Nico’s friend. Maybe it was the fact Nico was naturally attracted to be near him due to how both their bodies ran. Sure he was a little creepy, but he was fourteen, and going through a phase (....probably).

So Nico only really talked to two people on the ship without necessity.

0-0-0

“I know, and I’m glad.” Hazel squeezed Franks hand. “It’s ... it’s actually not you I’m worried about.”

Frank grunted. “How’s Nico doing?”

She’d been thinking about herself, not Nico, but she followed Frank’s gaze to the complicated control panels, where Leo and Nico were talking in hushed conversation.

Before Leo had come along, Nico had claimed the crowsnest, claiming that he liked to keep watch because he had good eyes. Hazel knew that wasn’t the reason. Back at the beginning the top of the mast was one of the few places on board where Nico could be alone. The others had offered him the use of Percy’s cabin, since Percy was ... well, absent. Nico had adamantly refused. He had spent most of his time up in the rigging, where he didn’t have to talk with the rest of the crew.

Then Leo came along, with his loud personality and distasteful jokes. Hazel could tell that his appearance had rocked Nico to the core, not just because she knew Nico, practically everyone could see he had changed.

Nico smiled, he chuckled and he bantered back. Sure, he still sometimes woke up screaming, but at least he was now _willing_ to sleep.

The corn plant had been a setback, or at least at first, and then Leo had come in and laughed before making a few jokes and then Nico was trying not to smile.

He looked frustrated, as if he hated the effect Leo had on him. And yet he’d never looked happier.

“It’s been a lot on him, but he’s getting better,” Hazel decided to answer.

0-0-0

Jason Grace was one of Leo’s best friends, but fuck man was Leo only a second close from killing him.

“I have a question,” Jason was leaning over the railing, soon having to depart on a quest with Nico to get some sceptre or something.

“Shoot,”

“How do you not get creeped out by Nico?” Leo’s eye twitched.

He took a breath. “You just have to be kind to him and see him smile,”

Jason looked at him weirdly. Leo dared him to say what he was thinking. After some silence Leo continued.

“After all, he’s really only a fourteen year old emo-,”

“Age doesn’t matter when he can bury you alive!” Jason exclaimed. Throwing his hands up as if Leo was missing something. Leo snapped.

“Yeah? And? You could shock me to death or control all the air out of my lungs, Piper could charmspeak me to kill myself, I could turn someone to ashes, Frank could eat me alive with a single bite. Fuck, Jason. Nico’s not a bad person. He’s not his father, he might be similar but he’s _not Hades_ . He’s not going to kill you and he’s a genuinely _nice person_. Get that through your thick head!” Leo glared at Jason. Who reared back in shock.

They stopped conversation after that.

0-0-0

“We’ve got to catch him,” Jason said. “Hold on.”

“But-,”

Jason grabbed Nico and lifted them both into the air.

Nico made a muffled sound of protest as they soared over the walls and into a courtyard where more tourists were milling around, taking pictures.

Jason noticed how cold Nico was. And he wasn’t even touching the skin.

Was that why Leo liked him so much (wait, no, bad train of thought)?

On the left side of the courtyard stood a line of columns holding up weathered grey arches. On the right side was a white marble building with rows of tall windows.

“The peristyle,” Nico said. “This was the entrance to Diocletian’s private residence.” He scowled at Jason. “And, please, I don’t like being touched. Don’t ever grab me again.”

Jason would've been threatened by the way Nico worded it, if not for the many many times Leo had wrapped his arms around Nico’s shoulder and the most Nico had done was shiver.

“But Leo-,”

“Isn’t part of this conversation,” Nico said, interrupting and glaring before continuing forward.

0-0-0

 _Still hiding_ , Cupid said, smashing another skeleton to pieces. _You do not have the strength._

“Nico,” Jason managed to say, “it’s okay. I get it.”

Nico glanced over, pain and misery washing across his face.

“No, you don’t,” he said. “There’s no way you can understand.”

 _And so you run away again_ , Cupid chided. _From your friends, from yourself._

“I don’t have friends!” Nico yelled. “I left Camp Half-Blood because I don’t belong! I’ll never belong!”

A voice, one that wasn’t Cupid and was definitely still back at the Argo II laughed, but it wasn’t cruel it was sincere and fond. A wispy voice spoke. 

_You know, when we get back to camp, I need to go on a pop culture movie marathon with you._

It was Leo.

Nico clutching something in his pocket tighter. And if Jason remembered correctly it was the toy Leo had gifted Nico.

The skeletons had Cupid pinned now, but the invisible god laughed so cruelly that Jason wanted to summon another bolt of lightning. Unfortunately, he doubted he had the strength.

0-0-0

“I had a crush on Percy,” Nico spat. “That’s the truth. That’s the big secret.”

He glared at Cupid. “Happy now?”

For the first time, Cupid’s gaze seemed sympathetic. “Oh, I wouldn’t say Love always makes you happy.” His voice sounded smaller, much more human. “Sometimes it makes you incredibly sad. But at least you’ve faced it now. That’s the only way to conquer me.”

Cupid smilied. Jason couldn't see it but he could hear it in his voice. “Of course, this isn’t going to be the last time you’ll see me, but I think you already knew that,”

Cupid disappeared into the winds.

On the ground where he’d stood lay an ivory staff three feet long, topped with a dark globe of polished marble about the size of a baseball, nestled on the backs of three gold Roman eagles. The sceptre of Diocletian.

Nico knelt and picked it up. He regarded Jason, as if waiting for an attack. “If the others found out-,”

“If the others found out,” Jason said, “you’d have that many more people to back you up and to unleash the fury of the gods on anybody who gives you trouble.”

Nico scowled. Jason still felt the resentment and anger rippling off him.

“But it’s your call,” Jason added. “Your decision to share or not. I can only tell you-,”

“I don’t feel that way any more,” Nico muttered. “I mean ... I gave up on Percy. I was young and impressionable, and I – I don’t …”

His voice cracked, and Jason could tell the guy was about to get teary-eyed. Whether Nico had really given up on Percy or not, Jason couldn’t imagine what it had been like for Nico all those years, keeping a secret that would’ve been unthinkable to share in the 1940s, denying who he was, feeling completely alone – even more isolated than other demigods.

“Nico,” he said gently, “I’ve seen a lot of brave things. But what you just did? That was maybe the bravest.”

Nico looked up uncertainly. “We should get back to the ship.”

“Before we go,” Jason was a little cautious. “I don’t know exactly how the others would react. I only know that Leo’s not going to judge,”

Nico shocked up. “You wouldn’t-,”

“No, I wouldn’t, it’s still your call,” Jason said, raising his arms. “But I know the guy, you really should talk to him about this,”

He knew Leo was openly bisexual. Jason couldn’t understand Nico’s predicament, being straight and everything, but Leo could. He’d be much more help than Jason ever could. Heck, Leo _had_ been better for Nico.

Nico looked scared. Like he’d lose Leo if he said one wrong word.

“I can fly us-,”

“No,” Nico announced. “This time we’re shadow-travelling. I’ve had enough of the winds for a while.”

0-0-0

Leo had been waiting for Nico and Jason to come back. He was sitting by Festus, hoping Nico hadn’t been hurt by Jason (the conversation still fresh in his mind).

Then Nico came back. Leo had been excited, rushing towards the two ready to greet them both back.

“Hey, Nico-,” Leo was cut off by Nico brushing past him without another word. Leaving Jason and Leo alone. Leo froze for all but two seconds before turning to Jason and scowling. “What did you do?”

Jason raised his hands in peace. “It wasn’t me but… you should try to talk to him,”

“What. Happened.”

“It’s Nico’s decision whether he wants to tell you,” Jason said, he looked at where Nico ran off to with guilt.

Leo didn’t care about guilt. He stormed back down into the ship for a talk.

0-0-0

Leo hadn’t been able to find Nico.

He’d asked around, nobody had seen him, though Hazel had made sure to tell him if she saw.

Eventually he had to give up and go back to work. Repairing the ship, making and designing plans, that sort of thing.

It had been peaceful and quiet. And while Leo _liked_ that, he also missed Nico. his inputs and his ideas that made Leo screw up less.

He missed Nico.

It wasn’t like Leo would admit it. Because he hadn’t thought he’d become so reliant on Nico. While Leo had been trying to worm his way into the guys heart, Nico had wormed right into his.

The weight of Leo’s shadow shifted, and Leo sighed. “Nico, I know you’re there,”

Silence.

“You don’t have to talk but you do have to come out,”

The shadows shifted. Out popped the form of Nico di Angelo. He looked worse, stressed and on the verge of paranoia. Nico was silent. Staring at Leo to see if he’d scream, which Leo took personally.

“What did Jason tell you?” Nico asked. Clutching onto the toy for support. Looking ready for a fight.

“Nothing, other than you’d tell me what happened when you wanted to,” Leo said, watching Nico’s shoulders sag with relief. “And seriously, was it that bad that you had to hide?!”

Nico looked as if he was going to agree, then he remembered who he was talking to and paused.

He didn’t say a word before sitting down next to Leo and looking like he wished to avoid the subject. Leo obliged.

The two sat in comfortable silence as Leo worked on his projects.

0-0-0

Leo’s head sat on Nico’s shoulder, having passed out from working so hard. He probably hadn’t even noticed where he had landed.

Nico smiled gently. He hadn’t been treated like this by anyone except by his family, so it was strange seeing Leo be like this. Di Angelo liked it though.

Slowly, as to not disturb Leo, Nico took off his jacket and wrapped it around Leo. Before resting his head on top of the sleeping boys.

He knew he’d never get it, not what he wanted. He never got what he wanted. Leo would never like him how Nico liked him (gods, Nico had thought he’d learned his lesson with Percy, but apparently he hadn’t) maybe he could just pretend though.

Just for a moment.

0-0-0

Ice storms raged.

Leo didn’t like it. It reminded him of Khione.

“What’s Khione done to you?” Nico asked. He looked more comfortable around Leo again, except any time Jason would come close to the two Nico would freeze up and become cautious. “Or is it just a fire-ice thing?”

“Nah, she tried to kill me back in Quebec last winter, and I had to battle her at the wolf house,” Leo shuddered. Even if he was currently wearing Nico’s aviator jacket (shut up, it looked cool on him and was comfortable) he still got the chills from thinking about how he acted. “I also once had a crush on her, which I still can’t believe I did,”

“You fought a goddess?” Nico raised an eyebrow. Seemingly trying to avoid the crushing fact.

“Well, not a very _powerful_ one but yeah,” Leo shrugged. Nico looked impressed.

Leo would never admit how much it made him happy having Nico be impressed by him.

Later, they had to postpone the meeting. Hazel ran off to vomit due to the waves, Frank taking her there. Nico went down to get rid of the scepter (before doing so giving Piper a cautious look as if to see whether she’d talk bad about him, as if Leo would ever let that happen).

Leaving Leo, Jason and Piper. The original trio.

0-0-0

Nico listened as Piper recounted what had happened. He was silent, not saying a word and Nico was pretty sure everyone else had forgotten he’d existed.

Leo was still alive (thank gods) but Nico couldn’t track him.

As soon as Piper had finished speaking Nico went to the crows nest again. Back where he’d been before Leo had dragged him down. It was a lot colder, especially now that his aviator jacket was wherever the Hades Leo was.

Nico knew heartache. Fuck, that was like his main emotion.

Leo’s smile made his heart ache, it hurt but it was like a drug. He was addicted and he wanted more of it. He wanted Leo to smile at Nico as if he were his whole world (it would never happen. Some part of him reminded himself. Another though, saw that there was a small small chance).

And now he was gone.

Nico knew heartache. That didn’t mean he liked it.

He clutched to the small toy Leo had gifted him. It felt like the Hades statue all over again, except this time he had a chance. A chance Leo was alive and a chance he wouldn’t continue being in heartache.

0-0-0

When Leo had burned the jacket he’d panicked.

That should have been his first clue, but it had been Calypso’s clue instead.

“Why does the jacket mean so much to you?”

“Someone gifted it to me, and he’ll be pissed if I have to tell him I burned it,”

She’d then acted like he had someone to go home to.

Leo didn’t feel anything for Calypso.

Sure, he felt sad for her predicament, and how she was treated and Leo wanted Calypso to get out of it, but anything romantic? Or even sexual? No.

Which was weird. She was an immortal Titan with a body that was to die for, and yet his heart and head didn’t want it. She was the sort of person Leo would normally fall for too. Cool and badass to the point she could kick Leo without a problem and yet…

For some reason it felt like he’d already picked someone else.

“I don’t have a girl waiting for me,” Leo said bitterly to Calypso during his stay. Calypso looked him up and down as if waiting for a lie. She found none.

“A man then?” She asked. Leo went to protest but his throat caught from under him.

Why couldn’t he say that no one was waiting for him?

(Because it was a lie)

Leo wasn’t good with love, with crushes he realised immediately that he had them, and then he pursued them. With love though, it was such a distant emotion he’d have to focus to realise it was there.

He still made the promise. That he’d come back. Except this time he didn’t swear on the Styx.

Leo clutched to the new aviator jacket. The thing that had been reminding him to go home.

0-0-0

“Look, Nico,” Jason said, “I’m here if you want to talk about, you know, what happened in Croatia. I get how difficult-,”

“You don’t get anything.” Nico glared. He didn’t want help.

He clutched the little mechanical toy tighter.

“Nobody’s going to judge you.”

Nico’s mouth twisted in a sneer. “Really? That would be a first. I’m the son of Hades, Jason. I might as well be covered in blood or sewage, the way people treat me. I don’t belong anywhere. I’m not even from this century. But even that’s not enough to set me apart. I’ve got to be-to be-,”

“Leo never treated you like that,”

Nico wanted to shout. But the absences of his aviator jacket reminded him that yeah, Leo did never look at him as if he was scum. It was why it was so hard to get over him.

It was worse than with Percy, because at least Percy avoided him, at least Percy hated him so the two never had to interact. Leo though? He actually tried to be Nico’s friend, he spent time and effort and… Nico’s heart just had to screw it all over.

He couldn’t just be _happy_.

“No,” Nico said. “But Leo’s not here, is he?”

0-0-0

Leo was here.

He didn’t smile like he used to. Except when he looked at Nico.

When he looked at Nico there were stars in his eyes. He looked younger and happier, as if this war hadn’t affected him like it had. Nico brought out the childlike wonder he missed and had lost after so long fighting.

As if he could just sit and talk with Nico day.

That’s how Jason noticed it.

(That, and the fact he refused to take off the jacket, especially since it was now fireproof)

0-0-0

Before Leo went to check on his baby Festus again, he talked to Nico on the foremast.

“So you’ve been sitting up here while I was away?” Leo asked. “Has nobody even tried to talk to you?”

“Jason did,” Nico sighed and looked down.

“Hey…” Leo mumbled. Nico looked back to him and met his eyes. “Are you okay, is it the jacket? I’m sorry for burning it-,”

“No, no. It’s fine, that thing needed to be replaced anyway,” Nico dismissed. “It’s just… I’m glad you’re back,”

Oh.

Nico smiled at Leo. It was small, like it had always been, but it was there and so inviting and warm. Leo’s heart beat faster and his cheeks flushed. The tips of his ears burned with embarrassment (literally).

Oh.

Nico gently took his hand. Feeling bold and brave. Leo didn’t know how to feel about it but he didn’t back out of it.

 _Oh_.

Leo loved Nico.

He was in love with Nico.

And it had taken him so long to figure it out.

Leo clutched the jacket tighter. Even if it wasn’t the original one it still had all of the same joints and pieces of how it used to be, all the little sewn up bits from previous fights. The smell of pomegranate from the time in the jar.

It was like a safety net. The calm before the storm.

Just like Nico.

0-0-0

Nico drank from the chalice, then offered it to Jason. “You asked me about trust, and taking a risk? Well, here you go, son of Jupiter. How much do you trust me?”

Leo stared at the two silently. Watching as Jason didn’t even hesitate to drink the chalice.

Part of Leo was tempted to grab the chalice and down it just to make a point.

0-0-0

Nico had sort of panicked when he’d realised that Leo _and Hazel_ weren’t with them. It was like the Fates were going to just cut off the two people he loved in one fell swoop.

That terrified him.

To undeniably no end.

This felt exactly like the Atlas quest. The one where Bianca died.

Nico took in a breath, clutching to the toy. Leo wasn’t Percy, he may have been similar but he wasn’t Percy. He was different and he’d keep Hazel safe.

(But who was going to keep him safe?)

“Hazel and Leo,” Frank said. “We need to find them.”

Nico and the rest of the crew peered across the chasm. At the other end of the cavern, the tunnel Hazel and Leo had entered was buried under tons of rubble.

“We can’t go that way,” Nico said. Trying to keep his cool. “Maybe …”

Suddenly he staggered. He would have fallen if Jason hadn’t caught him.

“Nico!” Piper said. “What is it?”

“The Doors,” Nico said. “Something’s happening. Percy and Annabeth ... we need to go now.”

“But how?” Jason said. “That tunnel is gone.”

Frank clenched his jaw. “It won’t be fun,” he said, “but there’s another way.”

0-0-0

Leo had almost cried when Nico came into the room.

The amount of relief and safety Nico had brung the moment he’d burst into the room had been insane. Nico’s eyes had been panicked then had turned to hardened when he’d made sure Hazel and Leo were safe.

Leo rushed forward to fight the giant. With Nico right by his side.

“Why are you so late?” Leo yelled at Nico with a smile on his face.

Nico realized he was talking and smiled back, but a lot smaller. “Sorry, traffic with the dead was a nightmare,”

Leo beamed.

0-0-0

Leo had noticed Nico had been by himself when the hugging session had started.

“Hey,” Leo had said as he’d wrapped his arm around Nico’s neck. “You okay?”

“Yeah just… You two got separated,” Nico said as if it was an explanation. Leo nodded though.

“Yeah, but we’re here now,” Leo smiled at him. 

“I’m glad you're okay,”

“Same here,”

Nico looked at Percy. He didn’t react, he looked like he was assessing something before he turned back to Leo and met his eyes.

“Huh,” Was all he said for explanation before shaking off Leo and walking to Hazel.

Leo didn’t know what to make of that.

0-0-0

Nico had been holding both Percy and Leo’s hand when he’d shadow travelled back up.

He let go of Percy.

And clutched tighter to Leo.

0-0-0

“I’m not,” Nico said.

Everybody stopped eating. Leo stared across the circle at Nico, trying to decide if he was joking.

He wasn’t

Wait. Wait no-Nico couldn’t leave _now_ . He’d just found out his feelings. He’d _just_ found out he couldn’t-.

Hazel set down her fork. “Nico-,”

“I’ll go with Reyna,” he said. “I can transport the statue with shadow-travel.”

“Uh …” Percy raised his hand. “I mean, I know you just got all eight of us to the surface, and that was awesome. But a year ago you said transporting just yourself was dangerous and unpredictable. A couple of times you ended up in China. Transporting a forty-foot statue and two people halfway across the world-,”

“I’ve changed since I came back from Tartarus.” Nico’s eyes glittered with anger. Leo was panicking now. Nico’s pride got in the way a few times and if he was lying then… Leo didn’t want to think about that.

“Nico,” Jason intervened, “we’re not questioning your power. We just want to make sure you don’t kill yourself trying.”

Damnit Jason, did you have to say it out loud?!

“I can do it,” Nico insisted. “I’ll make short jumps – a few hundred miles each time. It’s true, after each jump I won’t be in any shape to fend off monsters. I’ll need Reyna to defend me and the statue.”

Reyna had an excellent poker face. She studied the group, scanning their faces, but betraying none of her own thoughts. “Any objections?”

“Yes!” Leo slammed his hands on the table. All heads turned to him confused, like they were fine with dropping Nico off at the nearest stop. Nico stared at, as if he hadn’t been expecting this (which was utter bullshit, he’d always cared for Nico, even when he hadn’t known he’d loved him). “You could die! Isn’t there another way-,”

“There really isn’t,” Nico growled as if he was being underestimated. “I can do this, try to have a little more faith,”

“It’s not that! I just finally understand things and now you're going to up and vanish! And I probably won’t be able to see you again,” Leo was yelling. Everyone looked surprised. Especially the Tartarus pair.

 _Well screw them_ , Leo thought. Especially Percy. Not just because of Calypso, but because of the picture he’d painted Nico when they’d first arrived.

Suddenly the room felt unbearable with all the people looking at him. Asking him to give a better explanation than he wished for Nico to stay. Leo couldn’t.

Nico’s jaw was open before he shut it and grit his teeth.

Leo stood up. “Excuse me, I think I’m full,” And made a break for it.

0-0-0

Leo hid in his room.

He wasn’t proud of it but he did.

Leo hadn’t planned to get out of his room, goodbyes could mean he’d never see Nico again. And so what if he never confessed? Taking secrets to the grave was something Leo could get into.

Then the door banged open.

Only two people on the ship didn’t knock. Coach Hedge and Nico. Leo didn’t know which one he was hoping for.

“Hey,” It was Nico.

“Oh, hi,” Leo said. Trying not to sound depressed and failing miserably. He clutched the jacket tighter and cleared his throat. “I-um… I guess you’ll be wanting this back now,”

Nico eyed the jacket for all but two seconds before shaking his head and looking straight and Leo. “No, it looks better on you,”

Leo felt himself blush and hoped his eyebrows weren’t on fire. He didn’t know why Nico was talking to him, when Leo had ever pissed the guy off they didn’t talk for hours, it had only been a couple of minutes. Thirty at most.

Yet, here he was.

“Why are you here?” Leo asked.

“To say goodbye-,”

“You won’t have to if you don’t go,” Leo blurted out. Instantly he knew it was the wrong thing to say.

“Why do you want me to stay so badly?!” Nico exclaimed. Looking between a mixture of mad and confused.

“I-I just-,”

“No seriously,” Nico interrupted. “No lies, seriously. Why do you want me to stay?”

Nico wasn’t in his face per sa but he was close. Which only made Leo blush harder.

“I-I’m-,” Leo stuttered.

“Are you thinking less of me? Do you not trust me?” Nico looked like he was trying not to be heartbroken. “I should’ve known-,”

“No!” Leo exclaimed. “No! It’s nothing like that!”

“Then what is it! I don’t understand!”

“I-I just- _f_ _uck_! Nico,” Leo clutched onto Nico’s hand and looked straight into his eyes. If he was going to ruin his friendship by not saying anything, better at least not feel like he’s hiding. “Nico! I’m in love with you okay!”

Everything. Froze.

Nico’s eyes widened. He stared at Leo.

Leo continued, seemingly not learning where rock bottom was (he had a jackhammer baby!) continued to dig himself a deeper hole. “I know you’re probably not interested, and I know that you like somebody-” He didn’t say Annabeth, he just couldn't. “-else, and I’m sorry for that. I didn’t want this to ruin our friendship, we can forget about it if you want, I’m sure it’ll go away-mphm!”

Leo was cut off by another hand gripping his (his and Nico’s) jacket. Pulling Leo forward and locking his lips directly with a harshly blushing Nico.

Leo would’ve liked to say it was perfect, that once they clicked Leo melted. But in reality that didn’t happen, their teeth clicked and their noses crashed into each other. Making them both jump back and clutch themselves.

“Sorry,” Nico mumbled through the pain. “I got too excited,”

“It’s fine-ow,” Leo sounded weird with his nose clutched, but it didn’t stop the point from getting across. “Wait, are… you like me back?”

Nico nodded. Leo felt elated.

He ran forward and clutched Nico close, who hesitantly hugged back.

“You never said,” Leo whispered.

“I didn’t want to ruin anything,” Nico said.

Leo took his head off of Nico’s chest. Staring at his mouth with temptation. Slowly, ever so slowly Leo started moving upwards, so that at any moment Nico could move away from him. All Nico did was tilt himself to the left and meet in the middle.

The second kiss was a lot better than the first.

It was chaste, not quick but nothing too crazy. Leo felt his heart beat faster and his fingers tingle. Nico slid his fingers around the back of Leo’s neck and cupped it. Leo, in turn, pushed down and gently bit Nico’s lower lip to deepen the kiss.

Nico made a small moaning sound, which went straight to Leo’s ego and dick.

“Hey, Nico, Reyna’s asking for you- oh,” Jason stood in the doorway, watching both of them with wide eyes. Nico practically scrambled off of Leo, who tried not to take offense to that.

Jason just stared at them, eyes flickering from both Nico to Leo, before he smiled. “For what it’s worth I’m really happy for you two,”

“You won’t say anything?” Nico practically pleaded.

“Nope,” Nico sighed in relief. “But you should probably get back above deck, Reyna wants to leave now,”

“Oh,” Leo said numbly. Looking back at Nico, who seemed to finally understand why Leo didn’t want him to go. “Oh, okay,”

Jason left the room.

Nico looked back at Leo. “You better stay alive,”

“Roger that,” Leo saluted, right before Nico could leave Leo grabbed his hand. “One last thing,”

“What?”

“Can I have a kiss goodbye,”

Nico hesitated, before nodding and lightly kissing Leo’s lips.

0-0-0

Nico’s heart stopped when he felt Leo’s soul die.

Every single emotion crossed though his body at the same time and he felt like he was going to collapse. It was like when Bianca died all over again.

As soon as the battle was over Nico went into the Hades cabin and curled up into a ball. Hazel tried to comfort him, but she only knew them as friends, so she couldn’t help like she wanted to.

So he confessed.

He told her everything, who he loved him, how he had kissed him and how he was an abomination. Hazel was more accepting than Nico could ever be to himself. She’d hugged him and accepted and sympathised. As they both knew what it felt to lose the one they loved.

Then Jason came.

“I know I can’t convince you to not leave-,”

“I’ll come back,” Nico promised. He just needed to take care of some business first. “To camp, I mean,”

Jason hugged him.

Nico still felt empty. He clutched the toy, the little one Leo had made, hoping it would make him feel something other than loss.

It didn’t.

0-0-0

Leo had died.

Except he didn’t.

The only thing still intact (and he meant the _only thing_ ) was Nico’s Aviator jacket.

As he landed on Ogygia, the only thing on his mind was how he was supposed to get back to Nico. That was his top priority.

That, and finding Calypso a home.

0-0-0

When the scroll had floated into Nico’s hands, revealing Leo’s face in all its glory, Nico had frozen.

He hadn’t been at camp, actually he’d been out on a quest for his father, so he hadn’t needed to worry about outward appearances. When Leo had come onto the screen Nico had been filled with guilt, anger and happiness all at the same time.

 _“Hey Nico! Just wanted to let you know that I’m alive, and coming to Camp Half-blood,”_ Leo was smiling and on the back of a fully formed Festus. _“I love you,”_

That had been all Nico had remembered. He knew there was more, as Leo talked about Calypso and Piper and Jason, but all he could think about was that _Hades_ Leo was _alive_.

He’d kept his promise.

Nico hysterically laughed as he shadow travelled to Camp half-blood to relay the good news.

0-0-0

It was weird actually. The first time the two had reunited hadn’t been at camp half-blood, it had been in Leo’s dreams.

Leo had fallen asleep on Festus, having just left the sea of monsters and not knowing how long time had passed.

What he’d seen had been confusing.

The background was blurry, it looked like camp half blood one second and then camp Jupiter the next. Leo couldn’t make anything out. 

Except for when a form flickered in front of him, as if there was bad reception. Leo wondered whether his father was trying to contact him again.

Then he recognised the figure.

“Nico?”

Nico looked older. More worn out and tired. But as soon as his eyes landed on Leo they got misty, as if he was close to crying.

Leo had missed him so much.

“Leo,” Nico said while beginning to run forward. Leo didn’t even realise he was running too until he met Nico in the middle. Both clutching onto each other tightly. He was exactly as soft and cautious as Leo remembered, as if he was scared he would shatter Leo with one touch.

Leo just held on tighter.

“Is this real?” Leo asked. Not taking his head out of Nico’s neck crook.

“It better be,” Nico muttered. “I payed the entire Hypnos cabin just to get me a _chance_ to contact you,”

Leo choked on his laughter.

“When will you be back?”

“As soon as I can,”

“Not soon enough,”

“Hey! I’m trying my best here!”

Nico stayed silent. Opting instead to spend the rest of the time hugging instead of arguing.

0-0-0

When Leo came to camp the first thing he did was kiss di Angelo.

The second thing he did was drag Nico to bunker nine and make him watch Disney movies together. Both of them wrapped in the aviator jacket.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed! This has been stuck in my google docs for a while after a saw a Valdangelo drawing and just went "Huh, I want more of that," so I took matters into my own hands.


End file.
